Greetings Achieving Financial Awesomeness blog readers and welcome to our Leading to Success Interview Series where we learn more about the habits and strategies that have led individuals to become successful in both their professional and personal lives. And, most importantly, how you can implement these into your own life.

Today, we sit down with actress Giovannie Espiritu to learn more about her journey and how she got to where she is today. Currently, she stars in Dyke Central on Amazon Prime and plays Jackie in the thriller movie D-Railed.

When it comes to investing, putting money into stocks is one of the best options for the long term. However, as you can imagine, trading in the market can be complicated and somewhat confusing for first-timers. Fortunately, there are tons of resources on the subject, so getting started is all about doing a bit of research. 

We’ve compiled a list of five great value investing books worth a read. Whether you’re brand new to the world of stocks and investing or just want to polish your knowledge, each of these books is going to help. 

Not everyone wants to spend the next 30 years paying a mortgage. Most of us want the wprivilege that comes with homeownership but feel it’s a lot to have to carry for so long. 

Wouldn’t it be great to be a homeowner and not have to carry the burden of a 30-year mortgage for, well, 30 years? What if you’re pretty close to retirement but still foresee a lengthy mortgage payment in your future? 

If you’re like most Americans, you have a substantial amount of debt. Unfortunately, accruing debt is all too easy in modern society, which means that it’s incredibly difficult for some people to get on top of their money and take back control. 

However, just because it’s challenging doesn’t mean it’s impossible. As long as you’re willing to fight the good fight and make some significant changes to your lifestyle, you can learn how to dominate debt. 

The newest version of the iPhone just came out, and it seems like all of your friends are getting it. The latest console has just been unveiled, and your buddies were some of the first to buy it. Does this sound familiar? 

These days, it seems like more and more people are participating in “conspicuous consumption.” Back in the ‘50s, this was referred to as “keeping up with the Joneses.” The Joneses were a well-to-do family that always had the latest appliances and vehicles, and they forced everyone on the block to catch up to their level. 

For many of us in life, regardless of what it might be, we typically try to figure how to do things by ourselves. It could be fixing the car, something around the house, or as we’ll be covering here, managing your own investments and finances.

At some point in our life, though, lack of time and knowledge becomes an issue. Most of us can figure out the basics of investing and financial planning, but eventually, you simply don’t know what you don’t know if it’s not your profession.

For some people, managing money can be challenging. It can seem like a struggle to maintain your finances when life happens, whether it’s an unexpected repair or a debt that never seems to go away.

However, keeping your money under control is imperative, especially as you get older. Even if retirement is still a couple of decades away, it’s never too soon to take charge and make adjustments to ensure that you’re financially stable now and in the future.

Student loan debt in the United States is over one trillion dollars and growing. Millions of people are carrying the burden of student loans. Many still can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to paying them off. 

Paying off your student loans can be difficult. With high interest rates and different rules than other types of loans, student loans are a tricky business. For those that want to be done with them at last, we have some great tips for paying off your student loans in less than five years.

There are many reasons why you may want to determine how much your business is worth. 

You may be approached by a proposed buyer. You may want to sell and invest the money for your retirement. You may want to know it for insurance purposes. 

If you are retired or getting close to retirement, chances are you are familiar with budgeting. There are many techniques for budgeting out there, but the basic idea is to balance your income and expenses. One way to do this is to think about your expenses as percentages. 

Budget percentages, as made popular by radio personality Dave Ramsey, help you understand where your money is going. The goal is simple: keep your expenses in each category within a certain percentage of your income. Most people who follow this method adhere to 10 common categories.

If a business wants to hire and retain top-performing employees, it needs to offer substantial benefits. While options like healthcare and paid time off are enticing, nothing is quite as appealing as tax breaks. High-earning workers typically want to save as much money on taxes as possible while maintaining investment opportunities. 

Fortunately, that’s accomplished through deferred compensation plans. These plans can come in many forms and offer specific advantages (and potential disadvantages). This article will dive into how these plans work and why they can be so attractive. 

Retirement should be fun, and make life a bit more simple. You shouldn’t be struggling to live off of the money you have. 

How do you expect to get by after retiring? You may only rely on a small income from your social security. 

Only 32% of Americans are investing in 401(k) plans. Even though 59% of American companies offer these plans to their employees, many U.S. citizens opt out of one. If you work for a company that offers a 401(k), it is in your best interest to sign-up, especially if you want to live comfortably after you retire. 

While having a 401(k) is a great investment, people go through rough patches and need additional financial support to help pay for expensive situations. If you have a 401(k), you can get a loan to help you with your finances. Before applying, we want you to know how much a 401(k) loan will actually cost you. 

Real estate owners and investors use the 1031 exchange as a way to build wealth by deferring the capital gains tax. For those unfamiliar, the IRS requires investors to pay taxes on the value of sold investments when that investment realizes a profit. Real estate and other investments are subject to capital gains taxes. 

Named after IRS Section 1031, the exchange has many different variables. All investors must understand the ins and outs of Section 1031 before performing an exchange. It comes with many rules, such as the type of property and certain time frame restrictions. 

Saving for retirement is a big deal. The average American will spend nearly a million dollars between the time they retire and their death. Social Security payments won’t cover those expenses, so having savings and investments is essential. 

One of the most common retirement plans is the 401(k). It’s a benefit that some jobs offer. You and your employer generally get some sort of tax advantage, which makes it a popular choice.

Let’s just get right to the point; joint tenancy is a legal arrangement involving two or more individuals co-owning property. All parties share equal rights, title, and obligations. “Property” can include bank accounts, businesses, or personal items but joint tenancy most often pertains to real estate. 

These ownership arrangements can be made between business partners, married or unmarried couples, friends, or family members. Joint tenancy also includes right of survivorship. This means that if one owner passes away, the surviving owner(s) can immediately take ownership without going to probate court.

Usually, when people think of estate planning, they imagine filling out a will or establishing a trust. However, some assets allow you to name beneficiaries directly through a process called transfer on death (TOD). 

Transfer on death can be beneficial in various circumstances, particularly if you want to avoid probate. Today we’re going to discuss the ins and outs of TOD and when it is most beneficial. 

Investing in our friends, family, and community is a natural behavior. Sacrificing our time, money and effort to benefit others is altruistic, helping us feel that we provide real value in the world. But for all that you spend to help others, how much do you spend on investing in yourself? 

Investing in yourself is more than setting up a retirement account or buying a home. Rather than planning for the future, self-investment is most often directed toward the present. It manifests in several ways, such as:

When it comes to retirement, one of the most valuable questions you can ask yourself is, “how much is enough?” Unfortunately, it can be challenging to determine the right amount because there are many variables to consider. 

In this article, we’re going to discuss the finer points of saving for retirement so that when it arrives, you can feel secure in the size of your nest egg. Ideally, you shouldn’t have to limit your lifestyle or cut down on expenses during your golden years. So, the more planning and preparation you can do now, the better off you’ll be later on. 

This post was last updated on January 15, 2021, to reflect all updated information and best serve your needs. 

When you retire, you deserve to enjoy years of relaxation and stress-free time doing the things that make you happy with the people you love. One of the best ways to make sure this happens is by paying off your mortgage before entering your retirement years. In this article, we’ll show you the freedom that not having a mortgage in retirement brings, and we’ll also tell you how to get there.